War Powers Act essays

War Powers Act essays The farmers of our Constitution recognized the need for separate powers as well as checks and balances among the executive, legislative and judicial branches. This in turn helps to provide for the common defense. Separation of powers prevents one branch from becoming excessively dominant over the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution of the United States of America.: In order to accede to the preamble and adhere in its goals, the Constitution ensures this is by clearly stating the authority of the Congress in Article I Section 8 and the authority of the President in Article II Section 2. These fixed powers in the Constitution clearly state that one cannot act without permission or authorization of another. It is designed to that one cannot take acti on without consent of the other branch. This is prevalent in Article I Section 7 that states the process of how a law is passed. The fact that there are clear steps to the initiation of a law states the importance of separation of powers so that a single dominant branch does not arise. One of the biggest debated concerning the separation of powers it the attempt to determine which branch has the constitutional authority to undertake the involvement of war. This brings us to the argument of the constitutionality of the War Powers Resolution passed by congress in 1973 in effort to balance powers between congress and the president. Section 3 of the War Powers Resolution act states: The President in every possible instance shall consult with Congress before introducing United States Armed Forces into hostilities or into situation where imminent involvement in hostilities is clearly indicated by the circumstances, and after every suc...

Nobody Makes Bad Progress

Nobody Makes Bad Progress Nobody Makes â€Å"Bad Progress† Nobody Makes â€Å"Bad Progress† By Maeve Maddox Three times during a radio interview, a White House spokesman stated that something was â€Å"making good progress.† It occurred to me how often I hear the expression â€Å"good progress† uttered by politicians and administrators of various stripes. We are making good progress towards introducing a bill that will advance that goal.- A US senator. U.S. Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan acknowledged that [our state] is making good progress on our Race to the Top plans.- A state governor. We have been making good progress in three important areas.- A school principal. FTA is making good progress on developing more detailed guidance on which we will seek comment in the near future.- An FTA spokesman. The word progress, both noun and verb, derives from the Latin verb progredi: â€Å"to go forward, proceed, advance.† The English noun progress is defined as â€Å"the process of a series of actions through time.† As a verb, progress means, â€Å"to proceed, advance,† â€Å"to follow an expected course or pattern.† â€Å"Good progress† is bureaucratic-speak. It sounds good without meaning anything. It’s enough to say, â€Å"The FTA is making progress on developing more detailed guidance.† Progress may be rapid, slow, encouraging, delayed, or uncertain, but to say it is good is to pad language. â€Å"Good progress† is often accompanied by other meaningless phrases like â€Å"in the near future,† and â€Å"grounds for optimism.† Ordinary speakers may be forgiven for using the occasional clichà ©, but politicians and others who wish to advance themselves by swaying public opinion should be aware that coming from them, â€Å"good progress† signals a desire to avoid specifics. Note: The pronunciation of progress differs, according to whether it is used as a noun or as a verb. progress (noun): PRAH-gres (American); PRO-gres (British) progress (verb): pruh-GRES Want to improve your English in five minutes a day? Get a subscription and start receiving our writing tips and exercises daily! Keep learning! Browse the Expressions category, check our popular posts, or choose a related post below:75 Synonyms for â€Å"Angry†Homogeneous vs. HeterogeneousPersonification vs. Anthropomorphism

ECA Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2250 words

ECA - Essay Example Second, she is not entitled to tax credits because she has no child. A mother with a child is entitled to tax credit even if she is working part time. 1.3 The total tax credit would increase because the working tax grows as their income dropped. Even if Magdi is working less than 30 hours per week, he is entitled to working tax credit because his father needs care. 1.4 a. Option A will bring more income into the household because the loss of income will be recovered. Furthermore, caring for his father can be done by Sara. The household will still be entitled to a working tax credit thus increasing the source of income which would include the attendance allowance given for the father that is tax free. Also, when Magdi works until the age of 65, he will not incur losses in his pension. b. Option B might bring new source of income for the household because the Magdi would be entitled to Carer’s Allowance. The Carer’s allowance can be paid to both Magdi and Sara. Carer’s allowance is designed to replace earnings that are lost through being a full-time care giver. 2.1 a. Their insurance payout does not match the full amount of their income loss because of state benefits will produce only a well below average income, thus the payout is insufficient to sustain an existing standard of living. Also, the payout is subject to inflation rates. When insurance is a level type the value of the payout income is lesser because it is affected by the inflation rate during such pay out. 2.2 a. Asymmetric information is a situation where one party knows something that another party does not. It is used to refer to information on insurance. Insurers have the information about probabilities of adverse events occurring and base their pricing decisions on those probabilities which they have worked out from their years of claims experience. Individuals, on the other

Giving reasons for conversions Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Giving reasons for conversions - Essay Example t their pride and their love for their specific religions, but instead had to do everything behind closed doors and away from the eyes of the Muslims. If Christians and Jews converted to the religion of Islam, they would be able to be more open and obvious about their devotion to that religion. Those that are not Muslim must abide to the rules, or the pact, that was set down. If they were to violate the conditions that were agreed upon, their protection would be forfeited and they would receive the same treatments as enemies. Some of the rules, agreements, and conditions that were met involve what Muslims can do, but what Christians and Jews are not allowed to do. Christians and Jews are not allowed to have their crosses and books visible while walking on the roads or in the markets of the Muslim people. They are not allowed to publicly perform any act of their religion, such as the ceremony raising of their voices when following their dead or ring the rattles or bells that summons people to their religious services and ceremonies. It is against the pact for them to convert anybody to their religion, but if one of their own wishes to convert to the Muslim religion, they are not allowed to go against it. Non-Muslims are unable to build churches, convents, and monasteries in the areas of the Muslims, not are they allowed to repair any ruins that are in the areas of the Muslims. They must not bury their dead near the sites of Muslims. It also goes against the pact that Christians and Jews wear clothes similar to the Muslims, or speak in the same way that they do. Those of the Christian or Jewish religion may convert to the Muslim religion because it makes life a little bit easier, with less rules and laws to follow, and a lesser chance of going against the pact. The people in the opposing religions are given â€Å"privileges,† or the chance of safety if they give up their freedoms to an open religion. The Muslim religion offers more freedom in their own religion,

A Research Paper on American Airlines Flight 587 Essay Example for Free

A Research Paper on American Airlines Flight 587 Essay The airplane’s engines also separated in flight and were found several blocks north and east of the main wreckage site. All 260 people aboard the airplane and 5 people on the ground were killed, and the airplane was destroyed by impact forces and a post-crash fire. Flight 587 was operating under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 121 on an instrument flight rules flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The accident airplane was delivered new to American Airlines on July 12, 1988. At the time of the accident, the airplane had accumulated 37,550 flight hours and 14,934 cycles. History of Airbus A300 The development of the A300 airplane began in May 1969, and the first flight of an A300 occurred in October 1972. The A300B2 and A300B4 models entered service in May 1974 and June 1975, respectively. The development of the A300-600 series airplane (a derivative of the A300B2/B4) began in December 1980, the first flight of an A300-600 occurred in July 1983, and the airplane was certificated in March 1984. Before the accident, 242 A300-600 series airplanes were in service worldwide. The A300-605R is one of several variants of the A300-600 series airplane. The â€Å"5† refers to the type of engine installed on the airplane and the â€Å"R† refers to the airplane’s ability to carry fuel in the horizontal stabilizer. (National Transportation Safety Board [NTSB], 2004, p. 14) First Officer Information The first officer, Stan Molin age 34, was hired by American Airlines in March 1991. He held an ATP certificate and an FAA first-class medical certificate dated October 18, 2001, with a limitation that required him to wear correcting lenses while exercising the privileges of the certificate. The first officer received a type rating on the A300 in November 1998. According to American Airlines records, the first officer had flown Shorts 360, Beechcraft 99, and DeHavilland DHC-6 airplanes in commuter and regional operations under 14 CFR Parts 121 and 135. He had accumulated 3,220 hours total flying time in commercial and general aviation before his employment with American Airlines. American Airlines records also indicated that the first officer had accumulated 4,403 hours total flying time, 26 including 1,835 hours as an A300 second-in-command. (National Transportation Safety Board [NTSB], 2004, p. 1) Rudder Structure The A300-600 vertical stabilizer and rudder were constructed with composite materials, that is, mixtures that contain two or more distinct materials that are unified into one combined material. (NTSB, 2004, p. 15) Composite materials Carbon fiber is a form of graphite in which these sheets are long and thin. You might think of them as ribbons of graphite. Bun ches of these ribbons like to pack together to form fibers, hence the name carbon fiber. These fibers arent used by themselves. Instead, theyre used to reinforce materials like epoxy resins and other thermosetting materials. We call these reinforced materials composites because they have more than one component. Carbon fiber reinforced composites are very strong for their weight. Theyre often stronger than steel, but a whole lot lighter. Because of this, they can be used to replace metals in many uses, from parts for airplanes and the space shuttle to tennis rackets and golf clubs. (Carbon Fiber, 2005, p. 1) Rudder Structural Analyses NASA-Langley’s and Airbus’ analyses determined that the fracture of the right rear main attachment lug was the most probable initial failure. The analyses indicated that, The vertical stabilizer fractured from the fuselage in overstress, starting with the right rear lug while the vertical stabilizer was exposed to aerodynamic loads that were about twice the certified limit load design envelope and after the right rear main attachment lug fractured, all of the remaining attachment fittings would fracture with no increase in external loading. (NTSB, 2004, p. 115) Flight Control System The A300B2/B4 model used a rudder control system employing a Variable Lever Arm (VLA) to limit rudder travel. A similar rudder-ratio changer design is also found in most other transport category aircraft. The VLA limited the amount of rudder available to the pilot as the airplane’s speed increased. The rudder pedals consistently moved the same physical distance, yielding a proportion of rudder relative to speed. In 1988, Airbus implemented a completely new rudder design, which significantly modified the function of the previous model and hence, the handling qualities of the new A300-600 airplane design. This new system used a variable stop actuator (VSA) which is also found in the MD-80. The VSA also limited the amount of rudder available to the pilot. The difference in this system is that the distance which the rudder pedals moved also decreased as the rudder movement decreased in proportion to speed. A significant flaw in the design failed to offer the same kind of protection as in the McDonnell design. The MD-80 limits rudder travel and affords protection in the form of rudder â€Å"blow down† should an operator demand more rudder travel (with resultant excessive load) than the structure can withstand. These kinds of redundant system designs are common in commercial aviation. The Airbus Flight Crew Operations Manual (FCOM) addresses the rudder system much like any other manufacturer and, in fact, did not change the language of the FCOM even after changing the A300 design from the VLA to the VSA system. (Allied Pilots Association, 2002, p. 9) Blow-Down System On an aircraft equipped with a hinge moment limiting (or â€Å"blow-down†) system, a device is employed to limit the force capability of the hydraulic actuators, and thereby aerodynamic forces limit the maximum rudder deflection output as airspeed or aircraft configuration changes. American Airlines, 2004, p. 11) Vortices and Wake Turbulence Vortices form because of the difference in pressure between the upper and lower surfaces of a wing that is operating at a positive lift. Since pressure is a continuous function, the pressures must become equal at the wing tips. The tendency is for particles of air to move from the lower wing surface around the wing tip to the upper surface (from the region of high pressure to the region of low pressure) so that the pressure becomes equal above and below the wing. In addition, there exists the oncoming free-stream flow of air approaching the wing. If these two movements of air are combined, there is an inclined inward flow of air on the upper wing surface and an inclined outward flow of air on the lower wing surface. The flow is strongest at the wing tips and decreases to zero at the mid-span point as evidenced by the flow direction there being parallel to the free-stream direction. When the air leaves the trailing edge of the wing, the air from the upper surface is inclined to that from the lower surface, and helical paths, or vortices, result. A whole line of vortices trails back from the wing, the vortex being strongest at the tips and decreasing rapidly to zero at mid-span. A short distance downstream, the vortices roll up and combine into two distinct cylindrical vortices that constitute the tip vortices. The tip vortices trail back from the wing tips and they have a tendency to sink and roll toward each other downstream of the wing. Again, eventually the tip vortices dissipate, their energy being transformed by viscosity this change may take some time and may prove to be dangerous to other aircraft. The tip vortices cause additional down flow (or downwash) behind the wing within the wingspan. For an observer fixed in the air, all the air within the vortex system is moving downward (called down wash) whereas all the air outside the vortex system is moving upward (called up wash). An aircraft flying perpendicular to the flight path of the airplane creating the vortex pattern will encounter up wash, downwash, and up wash in that order. The gradient, or change of downwash to up wash, can become very large at the tip vortices and cause extreme motions in the airplane flying through it. An airplane flying into a tip vortex also has a large tendency to roll over. If the control surfaces of the airplane are not effective enough to counteract the airplane roll tendency, the pilot may lose control or, in a violent case, experience structural failure. (Langley Research Center, 2005, Chapter 4) The takeoff and landings of the new generation of jumbo jets compound the problems of severe tip vortices. During takeoff and landing, the speed of the airplane is low and the airplane is operating at high lift coefficients to maintain flight. The atmospheric conditions aloft were favorable for a slow rate of vortex decay. The wake vortex from Japan Air Lines flight 47 would have had an age of about 100 seconds, and flight 587 would have encountered the wake vortex at a time before vortex linking and rapid vortex decay. The predicted circulation of the wake vortex at the times of the apparent encounters would have been between 63 and 80 percent of the vortex’s initial strength. In testimony at the public hearing, the main author of the wake vortex investigation report stated that, even though his ork supported a wake encounter, the wake was â€Å"nothing extraordinary. †(NTSB, 2004, p. 57) Aircraft Pilot Coupling Aircraft pilot coupling (APC) was previously known as Pilot Involved Oscillation (PIO). An APC event is when the dynamics of the aircraft (including the flight control system [FCS]) and the dynamics of the pilot combine to produce an unstable pilot vehicle system. APC events can result if the pilot i s operating with a behavioral mode that is inappropriate for the task at hand, and such events are properly ascribed to pilot error. However, the committee believes that most severe APC events attributed to pilot error are the result of adverse APC that misleads the pilot into taking actions that contribute to the severity of the event. (Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board Commission on Engineering and Technical Systems National Research Council, 1997, p. 14) APC problems are often associated with the introduction of new designs, technologies, functions, or complexities. New technologies, such as FBW and fly-by-light flight control systems, are constantly being incorporated into aircraft. As a result, opportunities for APC are likely to persist or even increase. (Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board Commission on Engineering and Technical Systems National Research Council, 1997, p. 19) Flight 587 APC Event What the pilots of Flight 587 did not know was that the rudder controls on the A300-600 become increasingly sensitive as airspeed increases above 165 knots; this unique sensitivity creates adverse APC propensities primarily in the lateral axis. Flight AA587’s APC event was triggered by an unexpectedly sensitive response of the rudder to an initial, single pedal input by the pilot during a wake vortex encounter. Due to the unique characteristics in the aircraft’s flight control system design, the pilot became caught in an adverse APC/pilot involved oscillation mode as he attempted to counter the effects of that input. Specifically, after making a control wheel input followed by a rudder input intended to achieve a desired aircraft response, the over-sensitivity of the rudder control system induced the pilot to make additional, essentially cyclic, corrective rudder inputs as he attempted to stabilize the aircraft. American Airlines, 2004, p. 60) Probable Cause of Flight AA587 Crash Flight AA587 crash was triggered by an unexpectedly sensitive response of the rudder to an initial, single pedal input by the pilot during a wake vortex encounter. Due to the unique characteristics in the aircraft’s flight control system design, the pilot became caught in an adverse APC/pilot involved oscillation mode as he attempted to counter the effects of that input. Specifically, after making a control wheel input followed by a rudder input intended to achieve a desired aircraft response, the over-sensitivity of the rudder control system induced the pilot to make additional, essentially cyclic, corrective rudder inputs as he attempted to stabilize the aircraft. Unknown to the pilot, because of the sensitivity of the rudder controls and the powerful nature of the hydraulically driven rudder actuators, these corrective inputs rapidly generated rupture loads. (American Airlines, 2004, p. 0) An aspect of Advanced Airplane Maneuvering Program (AAMP) training relative to upset recovery techniques introduced response time delays to roll inputs in the training simulator. Flight crews in training, when encountering the delayed responses during roll upsets, reverted to use of the rudder in order to provide the necessary roll response to initiate recovery.

The Ideology of Keynes Essay -- Keynes

The Ideology of Keynes There is a certain degree of irony in considering the iconic figure that Keynes has become. For a man who was so thoroughly iconoclastic, rejecting established ideologies always in favor of his own, that he has become nearly synonymous with a mode of government or at least a school of economic thought, seems to be the richest sort of irony. In his Essays in Pursuasion, Keynes wrote the short piece â€Å"Am I a Liberal?† that took on the established political system of the time and thoroughly rejected it. For those seeking a quick answer to questions about the politics of his enigmatic General Theory, â€Å"Am I a Liberal?† would seem to raise more questions than it answers. Nevertheless, Keynes makes it abundantly clear what he is not. He rejects the Conservatives and the Labour parties out of hand. While he seems to have contempt for the former, he cites the latter as a difference of class. The Labour party, for him, is one that is constructed around the notion of class conflict and class issues, which he cannot partake in from across the supposedly ...

The Marketing Strategy Analysis of Starbucks Corporation

Under today’s ever-changing market, strategic marketing planning has become more and more significant whether of the functional or the fundamental. Especially, although financial crisis leaded economy growth slowdown, it did not cause a serious influence for chain coffee shop. As Howard Schultz said, CEO of Starbucks, â€Å"I don't think we had a business plan for the severity of what has taken place. History demonstrated to us that a downturn in the economy would not affect us, and in fact, we would be recession-proof. (Katie Couric, 2008) Based on Financial Times, Starbucks revealed that strong earnings of $242m of 2008, a jump from the $64m it recorded during the comparable period last year and total revenues for the quarter were $2. 7bn, up 4 per cent from the $2. 6bn recorded during the comparable quarter at the end of 2008. It illustrated that consumers will still pay premium prices for its coffee even in uncertain economic times. Greg Farrell 2010) In this essay, besides demonstrating the concept of strategic marketing, I will take Starbucks Corporation, United States for a case to define its position in this turbulent chain coffee shop market. Then, identify the â€Å"customized mass production† and evaluate how the organization affect and communicate the market. Next, the strategic importance of Starbucks Corporation, United States will be analyzed by various tools such as demand chain approach, SWOT and TOWS, PESTLE, pricing policies and so on with practical examples. Finally, based on these strategic analyses, the recommendations will be available for the organization to improve the competitiveness over this competitive market in the future. Brief history of Starbucks Corporation Starbucks Corporation, United States (NASDAQ: SBUX), the largest international coffeehouse chain company over the world, opened in 1971 by Gerald Baldwin, Gordon Bowker and Zev Siegl in Seattle, Washington, United States. In 1982, Howard Schultz, the present CEO of Starbucks, joined the company as Director of Retail Operations and Marketing. In 1987, Howard Schultz purchased Starbucks chain and rapidly started to expand. The first location outside Seattle was established at Waterfront Station in Vancouver, British Columbia, and Chicago, Illinois. In 1992, its initial public offering (IPO) on the stock market with common stock being traded on the Nasdaq National Market under the trading symbol â€Å"SBUX. † In 1996, Starbucks opened first store outside of U. S in Japan. Today, there are more than 15,000 stores in 50 countries all of the world, including with over two thirds in the home market in the United States. The products sold include coffee, beverages, merchandise, and fresh food and consumer products such as coffee beans, Starbucks cups and so on. Besides, Starbucks engages in gaining the brands add value such as business responsibly nowadays that earn the respect and trust of the partners and customers. They claimed that two areas including ethical sourcing, environmental stewardship and community involvement would be focused on. For example, the plan of Starbucks Corporation is that by 2015, all of the coffee will be grown using ethical trading and responsible growing practices. Besides, they also said that by 2015, 100% of our cups will be reusable or recyclable. So, what Starbucks Corporation emphasized is not only the tangible products, but the intangible assets such as brand image or the add value. The development and concept of the Strategic Marketing First of all, I want to define what is ‘market’ and ‘marketing. ’ The word ‘market’ can be referred to the process of exchange controlled by supply and demand, and the price involved. The word ‘marketing’ is the relationship between supply and demand and now favors demand and consumer choice. (Chapman and Cowdell, 1998) Trace back to the origins of modern marketing, it is from the Industrial Revolutions in Britain around 1750 and in the Germany and USA around 1830. The emphasis earlier was on â€Å"how to do it,† with a focus of the technique of marketing. As time goes by, people pay more attention on the philosophy of marketing and influence on stakeholders and society as a whole. Jobber and Fahy, 2009) Therefore, the strategic marketing becomes more and more significant since it can help organizations to find its own position of the competitive market; thus, they just can justify their strategy against whether the existing or the potential competitors. Therefore, organizations should classify the marketing environment including competitive environment (its immediate competitors and customers) and the macro-environment (the wider social, political and economic setting they operate. In order to develop the right strategy whether for short-term or long-term, organizations not only need to know the concept of strategic marketing but also how to use it within the competitive marketing. In addition, fundamental to strategic thinking is the concept of ‘strategic fit. ’ It indicates how organizations match the internal resources and capabilities with the opportunities in the external environment. The strategic model used to evaluate the appropriateness of the vision or decision making of the organizations (Hooley G et al 2008). A competitive advantage can be developed successfully by a suitable and unique combination of capabilities and resources. Nevertheless, organizations should pay more attention to classify the differentiation between resources and capabilities. Capabilities are focused on the learning effect of the organizations’’ possesses, whereas resources is connected to the inputs to production owned by the organizations. In other words, they should seek the appropriate balance between the marketing of functionalism and fundamentalism under this ever-changing market actually. Black Box Method Kotler et al. (2009) explain that the consumer is regarded as a ‘black box' in the sense that the consumer’s behavior is a conditioned response to marketing stimuli. After consumers making decision of purchase, the black box concept in behavior science responses. Because of the external stimulation, the consumers’ decision making process will be affected by the marketing planning and environment. The significance and the strengths of the model is that after consumers processing the various stimuli in their mind, they will react in specific ways. Generally speaking, in the model, the external elements to the consumer will move to behavioral stimuli; however, before a specific behavioral reaction is created, the consumer's decision-making process and personal characteristics will interact with the stimuli. On the other hand, in the ‘black box' model, people can’t get much information about the way human mind operates. The weakness of this model is people still cannot get the ideas of what goes on in the brain and have no ideas about what goes on in there. In other words, through the ‘black box' model the main internal process and influences of consumer’ behavior can be identified when consumer behavior operates, but the way how consumers convert the data, together with the stimuli, to act specific responses cannot be available. So, it is just called the ‘black box' model. (Kotler et al. 2009) The figure is shown the content and process involved in the ‘black box' model. Therefore, in order to understand consumers’ behavior in the market, organizations need to realize the fundamental process of perception and motivation. Through economic analysis and behavioral adds value can help organizations to make the marketing planning (Chapman and Cowdell 1998). Take Starbucks Corporation for example, last year (2009) in order to to maintain its brand image as a premium customer experience, it revealed â€Å"a long term, multi-million dollar† advertising campaign in the US, as it seeks to combat perceptions that its products are over-priced. As Howard Schultz, chief executive, said that they indicated the new â€Å"value focused† offerings had improved customers’ perception of the value of its products and it is based on the company’s research (Jonathan Birchall 2009). Source: Keegan et al. (1992, p. 193) Marketing Demand Chain Approach Demand is the relationship between needs and wants and also can be inferred to producer/supplier and consumer. Whole markets are motivated by demand; consumers can exercise demand by choice freely (Chapman and Cowdell 1998). A demand chain is composed of the organizations which sell products or services. For example, from the customer perspective, the demand chain may be composed by the customers who lead the sales transaction and the suppliers who sell or create the goods. Or from the supplier perspective, the suppliers create or offer the products and the customers buy it. In addition, the market for specific products or service can be defined by a three-dimensional box. The three sides of the box are product purchase, buyer group and buyer location (Chapman and Cowdell 1998). For example, the demand for Starbucks Corporation can be defined using this method. Buyer group could be identified by age, education or salary characteristics – such as students, white collar workers and retired people. Product purchase could identify the range or type the products offering such as beverage, pastries, whole coffee beans, coffee-related retail items and so on. Then, buyer location could be described the locations of buyer groups. Under this complicated and competitive coffee market, the demand chain approach is appropriate for managers to use the concept of identifying the market segmentations. Once the demand is identified, the necessary change and strategic marketing planning of the business environment could be evaluated effectively. The competitive position and market segmentation of Starbucks Corporation ‘Position’ describes the characteristic place in the market and becomes important more and more in a competitive market because it makes the comparisons to be set between organizations, products and services. It also makes the market segmentation to be classified and the competition analysis and market analysis to be connected to an organization’s strategy. The market segmentation is produced by the differences in customer’s needs, wants and attitudes (Chapman and Cowdell, 1998. Take Starbucks Corporation for a case, numerous cheap coffees are available, what is its attraction under this competitive coffee market? The idea can be also referred to â€Å"the role of positioning is to support that process, not to be it. † (Mintzberg et al 2009) The advantage of defining the position is to help Starbucks Corporation both defending itself and attacking the existing or potential competitors by utilizing the strategic tools such as Porter’s generic strategies, Porter’s five forces and so on. For example, using Porter’s generic strategies for the strategic tool shown below, differentiation focus is Starbucks Corporation’s position compared with other competitors. Hence, the suitable strategy could be set by it. Through identifying the position of the market, not only analyzing the competitors but creating competitive advantages is necessary to organizations. Competitor identification is the purpose of competitor analysis and it investigates competitor strategies, objectives, capabilities and prediction of response patterns. In addition, the process is to offer a foundation of competitive advantages, defining their future strategies. Competitive advantages are the resources and skills of the organizations; classification of the organization’s core competences could be available by analyzing those factors (Jobber 2001). â€Å"Customized mass production† of Starbucks Corporation For Starbucks, it is very important that it provides mass customization to their customers. They obey the conception which is every customer is unique. Therefore, both products and services are created to be a unique experience and atmosphere for the customers individually. So, what customer pay for is not just the products or services but including the unique experience and atmosphere. As B. Joseph Pine (1999) said, â€Å"We have shifted from a goods economy (coffee beans in a can) to a service economy (hot coffee at a diner) to an experience economy (coffee sold in a special mug, in comfortable surroundings – Starbucks). † In other words, under an ever-changing economy, what trend the organizations should follow is that converts products into services and then services into a unique and memorable experience. The unique and memorable experience is the differentiation between Starbucks and its existing or potential competitors. Starbucks Corporation’s Strategic Marketing Planning Strategic Marketing Planning includes the competitive position creating of both the organization and its offerings, core strategy decision making and implementing that strategy. The significance of planning marketing strategies for organizations are to make sure that the organizations’ capabilities are appropriate or not and it is not just for short-term but for the long-term (Hooley et al, 2008). Besides, organizations also need the market audit to model and understand the key factors in the marketing environment. A marketing audit could be defined that â€Å"it is an essential tool for the periodic reassessment of any organization’s marketing effectiveness. † It is the way to analyze organizations’ environment, activities and strategies critically, and improve them (Chapman and Cowdell, 1998. ) Starbucks Corporation’s strategic marketing planning starts with marketing audit and it could be divided to three parts, macro environment, internal environment and external environment. Macro environment is examined to recognize the directions and patterns; inter environment is scanned to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses and opportunity and threat is involved in external environment. * PESTEL analysis For macro environment, it could start with PESTEL analysis (an acronym for Political, Economic, Socio-Cultural, Technological, Ethical and Environmental and Legal factors) of the organizations’ environment. Starbucks Corporation tends to classify main drivers which play important role in the strategic marketing planning by its PESTEL analysis. Take the socio-cultural environment for example; identifying the difference such as consumer preferences could shift from coffee to other beverages can help Starbucks Corporation finding the target groups by setting the suitable marketing strategies. In addition, increasing usage of community networks such as Facebook in the technological environment can provide Starbucks Corporation the efficient way to promote the brand on the popular channel nowadays. In other words, organizations can understand the macro environment by using strategic tools and then set the appropriate marketing strategies for not only now but for the future. Appendix-A provides the summaries of Starbucks Corporation’s PESTEL environment * SWOT analysis For internal environment (strengths and weaknesses) analysis, its purpose is to make organizations to get valuable chances and then to enable them taking advantages of them. For external environment (opportunity and threat) analysis, a marketing opportunity is a field of buyer interest and need that organization with high possibility of beneficially satisfying. In addition, an environmental threat is a danger by a negative development or trend that would lead to decrease profit or sales (Kotler and Keller 2009. According to the information of the internal environment and external environment, Starbucks Corporation develops SWOT analysis to classify the key strengths and weaknesses related to opportunities and threats (Appendix-B). Consider this case, the strengths such as strong global coffee brand, differentiated atmosphere and customer base loyalty would let Starbucks Corporation to grow the market share in new markets such as some specific cities with high population density in China. Besides, take the other care for example, facing the threat of more and more competitors are from various channels such as McDonald in the competitive market, Starbucks Corporation develop new strategy to defense it. Last year (2009), Starbucks Corporation embraced customer research surveys and ran its first major advertising campaign (Claire Cain Miller 2010). * TOWS Matrix The SWOT analysis provides the identification of organizations’ strength, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. Nevertheless, according to such an nalysis, it is rarely and static of the development of definite substitute strategies. Hence, the TOWS Matrix is instituted for analysis the competitive situation of organizations or lead to the evolution of four different sets of strategic alternatives. In addition, the TOWS Matrix is a conceptual structure and begins with the threats since organizations try to make strategic marketing planning under the pressure of perceiving danger, crisis, or threat (Koontz and Weihrich 2007). Appendix-B shows the example of TOWS Matrix. Starbucks Corporation plans to spend the majority of its $40m marketing budget to promote its Via brand of instant coffee and Frappucino drinks through grocery stores (Greg Farrell 2010. ) This is the example for the SO strategy of Starbucks Corporation based on the strength of strong global coffee brand and the opportunity of New products/services/ distribution channels. In addition, take the other case for example, in 2009 the New York City’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene released the results of a study about the ordering habits at 115 Starbucks stores in the city. The study, which was conducted in 2007, found that the average blended drink had 239 calories. The average cup of coffee had 63 calories. â€Å"The popularity of blended coffee beverages has grown in recent years,† Dr. Thomas A. Farley, the city’s health commissioner, said in a statement. â€Å"Unfortunately, many of these drinks are loaded with calories. Your afternoon pick-me-up may be weighing you down. † After that announcement, Valerie O’Neil, a vice president at Starbucks, said in a statement: â€Å"We offer wholesome food and beverage options for our customers, including blended coffee beverages less than 100 calories. Looking forward, we continue to find helpful ways to deliver information for our customers to make more informed choices. † (A. G. Sulzberger 2009) This is the example for the ST strategy of Starbucks Corporation based on the strength of product diversification and the treats of healthy issue (calories). In other words, by using the TOWS Matrix, organizations can know that how to take advantages of the opportunities. Meanwhile, the impact of weaknesses could be minimized and defense them against threats. By clearly identifying the analysis of threats, opportunities, weaknesses and strength, organizations can make the appropriate strategic marketing decisions actually. Pricing strategies of Starbucks Corporation â€Å"Price may be defined as the value (measures by whatever means is appropriate) given to a product or a service by a market. The price of a product or a service refers to the term by which it can be acquired, and may be expressed in monetary or non-monetary terms (Chapman and Cowdell 1998). In organizations, designing pricing strategies effectively not only needs a systematic approach but also a complete understanding of consumer psychology and then just can set or adapt prices appropriately (Kotler and Keller 2009). Consider the case of Starbucks Corporation, last year (2009) they announced a new pricing scheme. It included the price decreased of many of its popular products such as brewed coffees and lattes. This action is in order to confront the danger of the other organization with offering lower price coffee such as McDonald’s stealing price sensitive customers (Claire Cain Miller 2009). However, in this article written by Claire Cain Miller in the New York Times, it also mentioned Starbucks increased some drinks’ price including Frappuccinos and caramel macchiatos. The reason is that Starbucks thought there are less competition from rivals in higher-end more complex drinks. Starbucks is attempting to make the most profit from its loyal customers who are desired on its products and expecting they will patronize Starbucks continually. Jobber and Fahy (2009) stated that positioning strategy is one of the key factors influencing price-setting decisions. Positioning strategy includes the creation of a differential advantage and the preference of target market. These factors affect price enormously. In addition, price is the main element to make great influence to the marketing strategies since it is the only factor of the marketing mix that impact on the generates revenue directly. Indeed, the pricing strategy plays a very important role of organizations because it is can be a good indicator of its future growth potential.

Adelphia Fraud

Among other things, the money was reportedly used to pay off debts, build a Thirteen million dollar golf course, buy expensive condos, and flying In private Jets. These SIX members of the scandal were accused of hiding liabilities In off balance sheets. Along with hiding liabilities, they overstated their cash flow statements by One-hundred and sixty million dollars in 2000 and by two-hundred dollars in 2001. Delphic executives also falsified operations statistics and inflated their subscribers list by three million subscribers.Earnings were also inflated to meet forecasts by Wall Street analysts. (2004), â€Å"Corporate scandals are now staples of front-page news as shareholders demand accountability for billions of dollars lost. Still, the U. S. Government says the Irrigates' case is one of the worst ever of financial fraud† (Para. 3). Delphic scandal consisted of six members, John Riggs, Timothy Riggs, Michael; Riggs, James Riggs, James R. Brown and Michael Mulched. These m embers of the scandal committed many crimes based on selfishness, greed, and power.Their management of Delphic costs billions of dollars to Investor and destroyed the corporation. According to Yuk (2006) â€Å"Decision processes are Likely to be characterized more by confusion, disorder, and emotionality than by rationality. Instead of careful analysis of likely outcomes in relation to predetermined objectives, information is often distorted or suppressed to serve preconceptions about the best course of action or a self-serving interest in a particular choice. † The men were not thinking rationally and were taking money for self-serving reasons.Balance sheets and accounting practices were manipulated In order to pay for their lavish lifestyles. At the time of the crimes Call time was most likely In the back of their minds. Repaying lost money to investors that was stolen was also not thought out. When managers make extremely bad decisions such as these the repercussions are v ast. Investors were hit hard with the news of the Delphic scandal. Stock prices reached an all time high in 1999 peaking out at eighty-seven dollars per share.This was due to the oncoming sales and assets that were falsely recorded by the executives, After news of the Delphic scandal broke In 2002, the stock plummeted to Just fourteen cents per share. The NASDAQ removed Dahlia's stock in June 2002. Another consequence of the scandal and the executive's decisions was lawsuits. The behavior of the executives and their behavior in the Delphic Corporation ultimately brought down the company. I believe that in order for a company to survive, ethical leadership and management must exist.

Protectionism versus Free-Trad essays

Protectionism versus Free-Trad essays The main objective of the following paper is to explain the protectionism versus free trade argument, to explain the problems this debate has created in the arena of international trade and to outline the ways in which international agreements have contributed to their resolve. Although many of the following issues are still present in the world economy today, they are constantly improving due to agreements such as the Uruguay Round and the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). Protectionism is easily related to the belief that a nations resources need to be protected from international competition brought about by trade. Protectionist policies include trade restrictions which are of many natures. (See Appendix 1.A) Nations seek protectionist policy for various reasons such as: a source of government revenue,, to satisfy domestic interest groups and for the infant-industry argument among others. (See Appendix 1.B) The on-going debate regarding protectionist measures in the world economy seems to be an everlasting struggle. The recent World Trade Organization (WTO) conference in Seattle, for example, turned into a political battleground where protectionists rioted against the free traders. (Martin Morse Wooster, 55, June 2000) Violent riots and passionate arguments come to characterize meetings regarding the following topics, however to understand the issues at hand, one must get beyond the sound and the fury and examine the basic topics at hand. Tariffs are additional costs, such as taxes, that are added to a commodity as it either enters or leaves a nation. Import tariffs will be the type of tariff discussed in this paper. Tariffs can be calculated in the following three manners: the ad valorem tariff which is calculated by a fixed percentage of the estimated market value of the good, the specific tariff which is calculated as a fixed dollar amount per unit and the compound tariff whic ...

Doubt, a Play by John Patrick Shanley

Doubt, a Play by John Patrick Shanley Doubt is a drama written by John Patrick Shanley. It is about a strict nun who believes that a priest has done something terribly inappropriate to one of the students. The Setting of Doubt The play is set in the Bronx, New York in 1964, and takes place mostly in the offices of a Catholic school. Plot Overview Based upon a few circumstantial details and a lot of intuition, the stern nun, Sister Aloysius Beauvier believes that one of the priests at the St. Nicholas Catholic Church and school has been molesting a 12-year-old boy named Donald Muller, the schools only African-American student. Sister Aloysius recruits a young, naive nun (Sister James) to assist her in monitoring the suspicious yet charismatic Father Flynn. She also addresses her concerns to Donalds mother, who, surprisingly, is not horrified or even shocked by the allegations. (Mrs. Muller is more concerned about her son getting into high school and avoiding a beating from his dad.) The play concludes with a one-on-one confrontation between Sister Aloysius and Father Flynn as she attempts to get the truth out of the priest. The Character Sister Aloysius: What Does She Believe? This nun is a diligent taskmaster who firmly believes that subjects such as art and dance class are a waste of time. (She doesnt think much of history either.) She contends that good teachers are cold and cunning, creating a bit of fear within the hearts of the students. In some ways, Sister Aloysius might fit the stereotype of the angry Catholic school nun who slaps the hands of students with a ruler. However, playwright John Patrick Shanley reveals his true motives in the plays dedication: This play is dedicated to the many orders of Catholic nuns who have devoted their lives to serving others in hospitals, schools, and retirement homes. Though they have been much maligned and ridiculed, who among us has been so generous? In the spirit of the above statement, Sister Aloysius seems so harsh because she ultimately cares about the well-being of the children in her school. She is ever vigilant, as apparent in her discussion with the innocent teacher Sister James; Aloysius seems to know more about the students than the young, naive nun. Eight years before the beginning of the story, Sister Aloysius was responsible for detecting a sexual predator among the priesthood. After she went directly to the monsignor, the abusive priest was removed. (She does not indicate that the priest was arrested.) Now, Sister Aloysius suspects that Father Flynn has made a sexual advance on a 12-year-old boy. She believes that while having a private conversation, Father Flynn gave the boy wine. She doesnt state exactly what she thinks happens next, but the implication is that Father Flynn is a pedophile who must be dealt with immediately. Unfortunately, because she is a woman, she does not have the same level of authority as the priests; so instead of reporting the situation to her superiors (who will probably not listen to her), she reports her suspicions to the boys mother. During the plays finale, Aloysius and Flynn confront one another. She lies, claiming that she has heard about previous incidents from other nuns. In response to her lie/threat, Flynn resigns from the school but obtains a promotion becoming the pastor of a different institution. The Dubious Priest of Doubt The audience learns much about Father Brendan Flynn, yet most of the information is hearsay and conjecture. The early scenes which feature Flynn show him in performance mode. First, he is speaking to his congregation about dealing with a crisis of faith. His second appearance, another monologue, is delivered to the boys on the basketball team he coaches. He gives them instruction about developing a routine on the court and lectures them about their dirty fingernails. Unlike Sister Aloysius, Flynn is moderate in his beliefs about discipline and tradition. For example, Aloysius scorns the idea of secular Christmas songs such as Frosty the Snowman appearing in the churchs pageant; she argues they are about magic and therefore evil. Father Flynn, on the other hand, likes the notion of the church embracing the modern culture so that its leading members can be seen as friends and family, and not just emissaries from Rome. When he is confronted about Donald Muller and the alcohol that was on the boys breath, Father Flynn reluctantly explains that the boy was caught drinking the altar wine. Flynn promised not to punish the boy if no one else found out about the incident and if he promised not to do it again. That answer relieves the naive Sister James, but it does not satisfy Sister Aloysius. During the plays finale, when Sister Aloysius falsely tells him that nuns from other parishes have made incriminating statements, Flynn becomes very emotional. FLYNN: Am I not flesh and blood like you? Or are we just ideas and convictions. I cant say everything. Do you understand? There are things I cant say. Even if you imagine the explanation, Sister, remember there are circumstances beyond your knowledge. Even if you feel certainty, it is an emotion and not a fact. In the spirit of charity, I appeal to you. Some of these phrases, such as There are things I cant say, seem to imply a level of shame and possibly guilt. However, Father Flynn firmly claims, I have not done anything wrong. Ultimately, it is up to the audience to determine guilt or innocence, or whether or not such rulings are even possible, given the sketchy bits of evidence delivered by Shanleys drama. Did Father Flynn Do It? Is Father Flynn a child molester? The audience and readers never know. At its heart, that is the point of John Patrick Shanleys Doubt- the realization that all of our beliefs and convictions are part of a facade we build to protect ourselves. We often choose to believe in things: a persons innocence, a persons guilt, the sanctity of the church, the collective morality of society. However, the playwright argues in his preface, deep down, under the chatter we have come to a place where we know that we dont know...anything. But nobodys willing to say that. One thing seems certain by the end of the play: Father Flynn is concealing something. But who isnt?

Phosphoribosylpyrophosphate Synthetase Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 3750 words

Phosphoribosylpyrophosphate Synthetase - Essay Example Others require an additional chemical component called a cofactor such as an inorganic ion Fe2+, Mg2+, Zn2+ or a metalloorganic molecule called a coenzyme. (Lehninger 4th Edition) Enzymes are classified into six classes each with sub classes based on the type of reaction catalyzed. Thus our enzyme of interest Phosphoribosylpyrophosphate (PRPP) Synthetase (Prs) belongs to the class Transferases catalyzing group transfer reactions with its Enzyme Commission Number as 2.7.6.1. (Online Mendelian Inheritance in Man, 2010) Phosphoribosylpyrophosphate synthetase (Prs) (or Ribose-phosphate diphosphokinase) catalyses the synthesis of phosphoribosyl pyrophosphate (PRPP), an intermediate in nucleotide metabolism for the de novo and salvage pathways of purine and pyrimidine biosynthesis and the biosynthesis of the amino acids histidine and tryptophan. One of the important specialized pathways of a number of amino acids is the synthesis of purine and pyrimidine nucleotides. The two ringed purine members Adenine, Guanine, Hypoxanthine and Xanthine and the single ringed pyrimidines namely Cytosine, Thymine, Uracil are important for a number of reasons. Most of them, not just ATP, are the sources of energy that drive most of our reactions. ATP is the most commonly used source but GTP is used in protein synthesis as well as a few other reactions. UTP is the source of energy for activating glucose and galactose. CTP is an energy source in lipid metabolism. AMP is part of the structure of some of the coenzymes like NAD and Coenzyme A. We can both synthesize them de novo and salvage and reuse those we already have.(Angstadt 1997) Metabolic contribution of PRPP to the purine biosynthesis and other anabolic pathways Source: Taken and Adapted from BMC Biotechnology (Jimenez 2008) PRPP, synthesized from ribose-5-phosphate and ATP, is therefore a key compound for purine biosynthesis, and it is also an important cellular metabolite because it represents a link between carbon and nitrogen metabolism. PRPP is a biosynthetic precursor of histidine and tryptophan, and it is also required for the de novo and salvage pathways of purine, pyrimidine and pyridine (NAD+, NADP+) nucleotides. It has been calculated that approximately 80% of the metabolic flux through PRPP is directed to purine and pyrimidine synthesis The formation of PRPP is catalyzed by the enzyme PRPP synthetase which is encoded by PRS genes Pathway of Purine nucleotide synthesis and its regulation by PRPP. Taken and adapted from (Becker, Kim et al. 1992) The PRPP is further committed to de novo purine nucleotide synthesis in a 10 step enzymatic reaction as follows: Taken From Rolfes 2006 This essay will examine the reactions that take place during the PRPP pathways and the synthesis of purine nucleotide. In microbes such as Escherichia coli and Saccharomyces cerevisiae, the inability to biosynthesize purine nucleotides leads to auxotrophy. In Drosophila, purine nucleotide synthesis is required for development and metamorphosis. In plants such as Arabidopsis and tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum), synthesis of nucleotides is developmentally regulated, whereas in the tropical legumes it plays an additional important role in nitrogen storag. In humans, disorders in the purine nucleotide biosynthetic and salvage pathways have devastating consequences, leading to disorders such as SCIDS (severe combined immunodeficiency syndrome),

Regions Research Paper Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Regions - Research Paper Example The research also analyzed the government involvement in promoting good relations between the people and the international capital market. The research examined the relations in the fisheries, mining, and equipment applied and the overall contribution to the growth of the economy. The researchers based their arguments on the literatures published on the canoe trade in Central American Mosquitia region. It then contrasted the literatures with the contribution of the canoe trade to the economic and social relations development. The researchers analyzed the statistical data on the region and drew the relevant conclusions. The trade practices open up a people’s imagination and appreciation of the motives of trade, that is, profit oriented. The trade between the international markets and the remote isolated rural populations re-synthesizes the aspects of the people’s livelihoods. The objective of this research is to establish the dependence of wealth generation to the social relationships between the trading parties. The economic growth of a particular region depends on the trade activities of that region. Trade results into the exchange of cultural activities and crucial information between the partners. The information opens up the people’s perception of the natural phenomena and hence appreciates the essence of trade activities and good relations. The research herein reviewed three resources and drafted reasonable conclusions. Analysis of trading activities takes into account the measures put across to help establish the favorable business culture. Sound infrastructural facilities, equipments and social relations are essential aspects for consideration. Trade promotes the economic growth, which in effect promotes establishments of social amenities such as education centers. The investors also introduce endogenous projects into the regions that promote the rural development in effect. The development takes into